Every Way He Goes
by thelinksthatconnectus
Summary: Kili was never one to stick to one lover, always going from one creature to the next. He had just never broken a heart before, and it was Fili who ended up having to pick up the pieces. Kili/Ori, Fili/Tauriel, and past Kili/Tauriel


For a moment, Fili is completely silent. He needs to tell Ori something, to bring him comfort. That look on his face is something that he was raised to fear (though never to show a sign of it), to do whatever he could to stop it. That was his duty, both as a prince and the first heir to the throne.

"Fili," Ori repeated, clutching his books tighter to his chest. "I really, really need to speak with you."

Fili bit his lip. It would be so easy to say that he had other business to attend to (and it would certainly be true), but he couldn't. Tauriel and a few others from Mirkwood may have been coming, but there still was a bit of time before they were expected to arrive. All he had to do before him was the chance to help Ori.

"What is it?" He forced a smile.

"May we please speak alone?" He grabbed Fili by the arm and pulled him away. "It's about a private issue."

Oh.

"Kili?"

Ori nodded.

Of course it was about Kili; what else would Ori have to ask Fili about? If the royal scribe had any problem then he usually would just take his problem before Thorin; this time, however, there was no chance that he could bring this issue before Fili's uncle.

"Let's go to the library," Ori suggested. "It would do good for us to be alone while this happens." His frown deepened. "This really is important, Fili."

"I don't doubt that for a moment."

Ori led him to the library in silence. A few swarves stopped and bowed at their approaching prince, and Fili gave them quick, forced smiles. He had to keep his image, after all.

The library was silent, and only a few dwarves were around. With guided precision, Ori led Fili to a corner of the library. Had Fili tried that, he probably would have just ended up getting himself lost.

Ori stilled, looking down to the ground.

"Ori, what is it? Did something happen between you two?"

"You don't know?" Ori clutched his book even tighter. "You honestly do not know?"

"No." Fili stepped away from him. "Is it bad?"

"It has been a few weeks since Kili..." Ori shook his head. "You really don't know?"

"No." It wasn't a lie; he was busy, and he found himself spending less and less time with his brother. They still interacted with each other, but he hadn't revealed anything that had to do with Ori.

"He has found another."

"He has?" Fili bit his lip. All his life, he had watched his brother change. For months or weeks at a time, he would find someone else to look after and admire. Some had been more serious than others; all had ended. "I didn't know, and I should have." He sighed. "Ori, I am sorry."

Before this, no one had known of Kili's interest in them, or simply had been not been bothered when they broke it off. Kili never seemed to truly find his one, and Fili didn't see the harm in stopping what was just casual flirtation. Even Tauriel, who had been flattered by his words, had not bothered when he asserted that he had lost interest in her in certain aspects.

Ori had been the first one to return Kili's feelings. Fili had been so busy with his own life that he had actually believed that things might actually work out.

Questions raced through his mind of what was appropriate to say next. Maybe he could ask who Kili was chasing after next. No, that probably did not matter to Ori.

"I am sorry." He reached out and put his hand on Ori's shoulder. "I am so sorry."

"I just had to tell someone." Tears began to fall down Ori's face. "You should probably be leaving, Fili. I should not hold you back from your duties."

"I am sorry." Fili turned and left.

As expected, the small group of Mirkwood elves arrived, the royals not with them. Fili did his best to be as polite as possible to the elves. Most of the other Erebor officials would not have the decency to do the same. When he showed the elves to their rooms, Tauriel followed after him.

He had never imagined that he would love an elf. It had been a strange, foreign idea to him before this. Especially Tauriel, the very girl that his own brother had pined after for a grand two and a half hours. Still, their initial meeting had led to fighting side by side, and he had always been good to her. Were it not for her then he would have lost his own brother. Their interactions had led to more.

"I can see why she likes you, even if you aren't an archer." Kili had said once. "She likes beards."

Fili had smirked. "Well, you were certainly lacking there."

Once they stepped inside Fili's room, he began to remove some of the more trivial royal clothing that he would not have to wear to dinner.

"Fili, is something wrong?" Tauriel raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing that you need to worry about," Fili responded. He walked over to her, then gave her a quick kiss. "Did your trip to Erebor go well?"

She nodded. "I am glad to see you again."

"As am I," he responded.

There was no point in telling Tauriel what had happened; soon enough, she would be at the dinner table herself, and she would see it with her own two eyes.


End file.
